May 16, 2007

Karen MacCrate Henning felt both relieved and a tad bit worried. Her C.W. Post team had survived their rematch with Stonehill in the semifinals of the NCAA Women's Division II tournament, but the intense effort combined with the unexpected heat had zapped her team.

As she looked around the dining room of the restaurant where the team had gathered on Saturday evening, Henning saw a couple of players with their heads down on the table, fast asleep. The wait staff hadn't even brought the appetizers yet.

With the biggest game of the season against West Chester looming on Sunday -- and with it a perfect season and a national championship hanging in the balance -- the coach was looking for a little more energy. The Post players were just looking for a pillow.

"They definitely left everything they had on the field, and I was hoping some food and a good night sleep would be enough," said Henning. "I guess it was."

It was, indeed. The exhaustion from the weekend was evident on the faces of the C.W. Post players after the title game, but they still had the energy to take turns lifting the walnut and bronze trophy symbolizing their 15-7 win over West Chester and their 17-0 season.

"We were at the point of the season that I refer to as gut-check time," said midfielder Mallory Poole, who was named the MVP of the tournament. "You're physically exhausted. This weekend in itself is emotionally and mentally draining, so it is a true test of the athletes. Whether or not they can stay focused, stay on their game, and show up to play hardball.

"As far as our team was concerned, we all tried to get a good night sleep and rest up. We knew that going into Sunday we had to use up all we had left. I think every single one of our players can say they did that."

There were so many heavy eyelids during Post's Saturday evening training table because of the toll Stonehill took on the Pioneers. Post's toughest game of the regular season came against the Skyhawks, a game in which Stonehill controlled the pace for nearly the entire game and dominated most statistical categories.

"The first time we gave them too many opportunities to score and we needed the ball a little more," said Henning. "I think they had the ball for 50 of the 60 minutes. I felt that if we gave them the ball for another 50 minutes they would put us away. We had to possess the ball a little more, create the tempo, get the draws, get the ground balls. Just do the little things, which isn't always easy against Stonehill."

Mike Daly's club was playing without their most dangerous offensive player, Kristen Darrell, who went down with a season-ending knee injury in the Northeast-10 semifinals. Yet the Skyhawks still managed to scare the Pioneers with their discipline before falling, 11-8.

"We had to get some points on the board early just so they couldn't slow down the game," said Henning. "And we definitely had the depth with the heat, because it was probably the warmest day we've played lacrosse in years. We had some depth and, unfortunately for Mike Daly, he had injuries and only 16 or 17 players on his roster. I think we put in seven people and they all did something to help."

"Defensively, our focus was to just step up a little bit and make it difficult to run their offense," said Poole of the Stonehill win. "But they were missing a few key players, which worked to our favor. Offensively, we stepped up huge and we were able to possess the ball more than we did earlier in the season. That was key. Our focus was just to play our game and capitalize on all our strengths."

Henning felt better about the match-up in the championship game. Not only because the Pioneers rolled past the Golden Rams in the regular season, 20-12, but also because she returned a pair of defensive starters who were missing for that first meeting. The fact that West Chester played a brand of lacrosse Post was more familiar with helped, too.

"West Chester and Post are more the same style. They'll push it and take more big risks," said Henning. "I think one of things I've had confidence in with our team is if a team is going to take away one player, we have someone else who can step up. With so much depth, I wasn't that concerned on the attacking end, but I know West Chester's attack is potent."

As Henning alluded to, it was the Post offense that proved to be the most prolific. With Shannon Fabian, who had eight goals and four assists in the two games, leading the way and complemented by the two-way play of Poole (six goals), West Chester couldn't keep up.

"Not to toot our own horn here, but we have so many strengths on attack, if I was a coach for another team I wouldn't know where to begin," said Poole, a junior. "We have so many options that I'll give props to any team that can step up and take them away. So far this year, we've had different players step up at different moments."

With the team safely back on Long Island and the national championship plaque under lock and key, it was finally time for the C.W. Post players to get some much needed sleep so they didn't nod off into a plate of pasta.

"I told the girls I wouldn't send them a workout until June," laughed Henning.

Poole and the rest of next year's returners don't need the shuteye. They've been reenergized by the taxing, yet rewarding, weekend.

"Sunday afternoon kind of rolled through," said Poole. "On Monday morning I was back in coach's office and I told her, `Okay, the 2008 season begins today.'"

Contact Jac Coyne at jcoyne@uslacrosse.org.